Top 10: Rock Diss Songs

Number 8

"Hot Dog" - 2000

Limp Bizkit

Trent Reznor, the maestro behind Nine Inch Nails, was one of the leading lights of the modern rock era and was often cited as an influence by nu-metal bands, such as Limp Bizkit. It must have hurt poor Fred Durst, when, at the thankfully short-lived pinnacle of Limp Bizkit's popularity, Reznor slogged him in a particularly memorable fashion. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Reznor offered a harsh appraisal of Limp Bizkit's music and was quoted as saying that Durst could "surf a piece of plywood up my ass." Durst was determined to strike back, and unloaded on Reznor on "Hot Dog," which blasted back through a thoughtless foul-mouthed string of references of some of Reznor's greatest hits, including "Closer."

Aftermath: The feud has quieted down, although it's hard to imagine that these two notoriously "difficult" individuals might have found the time to officially mend fences. Reznor has probably been placated by the steep and merciful decline of Limp Bizkit's popularity.

Number 7

"New York" - 1977

The Sex Pistols

The Sex Pistols are usually the first band that comes to mind when people discuss the birth of punk. But the real origins of punk are more nuanced, and when the Pistols broke through in 1976, many claimed that the London scene was merely a pale reflection of what had begun in New York a few years earlier — namely with the New York Dolls. A rivalry developed between the two bands, one that was further fueled by the fact that Pistols' manager Malcolm McLaren had formerly helmed the Dolls. The Pistols proceeded to include a sneering, expletive-ridden put down on their debut album, which profanely mocks the Dolls for their success in Japan (and not in the U.S.) and for their allegedly piss-poor live show.

Aftermath: Rotten, McClaren and the rest of the Pistols proceeded to instigate so many fights with outsiders (and between themselves) that the feud with the Dolls was placed on the back burner. In 1978, former Dolls’ member and junk-guitar hero, Johnny Thunders, replied with an aptly titled track “London Boys” on his So Alone album.

Number 6

"I'll Stick Around" - 1995

Foo Fighters

Former Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl and Courtney Love were hardly buddies during the latter part of Nirvana's existence. Kurt Cobain's death brought an end to any pretense of civility between the two. Love fired the first salvo by posting long, rambling messages on the internet that expressed anger at Grohl's supposed transgressions, from his alleged failure to call after Cobain's first suicide attempt to his alleged interest in joining Pearl Jam. Grohl soon grew tired of the sniping and wrote "I'll Stick Around," a thinly disguised dagger outlining Love's manipulations, which culminated in a cathartic chorus where Grohl repeatedly shouts, "I don't owe you anything!" over a blistering drum attack.

Aftermath: Grohl and Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic continued to trade insults with Love, and the camps have also clashed over decisions regarding the release of material from Nirvana's back catalogue.

One of the world’s greatest song-writing duos has it out with some vinyl vindication…